Table 1.
Possible conversions of some effect sizes to equivalent ORs
| Conversion | Justification |
|
IRR to RR |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of incidence rate ratio (IRR) and risk ratio (RR), converts the former into the latter: Fortunately, if the incidences are small enough, the average follow-up times are similar in exposed and non-exposed, the fraction in the left is approximately 1 and thus: |
|
RD to
RR |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of risk difference (RD) and RR, converts the former into the latter: Thus, analysts might need an estimation of the probability of developing the disease (p) in the non-exposed. |
|
RR to OR |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of RR and OR, converts the former into the latter: Fortunately, if the probabilities of developing the disease (p) are small enough, the fraction in the left is approximately 1, and thus: |
| RoM to MD |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of ratio of means (RoM) and mean difference (MD), converts the former into the latter: Thus, analysts might need an estimation of the mean (m) in controls. |
| MD to Glass'Δ |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of mean difference (MD) and Glass' Δ, converts the former into the latter: Thus, analysts might need an estimation of the SD (s) in controls. |
| Glass'Δ to Cohen’s d |
The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of Glass'Δ and Cohen’s d, converts the former into the latter: Fortunately, if the variances (s 2) in cases and controls are similar enough, the square root in the left is approximately 1, and thus: |
| Hedge’s g to Cohen’s d | The following formula, straightforwardly derived from the definitions of Hedge’s g and Cohen’s d, converts the former into the latter: Fortunately, if the sample sizes are large enough, the small-sample correction factor (J) is approximately 1, the fraction in the left is approximately 1 and thus: |
| Pearson’s r to Cohen’s d | The following standard formula23 converts a Pearson’s r into an approximate Cohen’s d: |